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Indiana Retired Teachers Association

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When leaves begin turning colors and the air turns cool most of us begin to think of cider, pumpkins, family gatherings and upcoming holidays.

For the financially savvy, fall signals the time of year to make sure we have taken advantage of every opportunity to save for the long winter of retirement and accumulate some tax breaks to use when the spring thaw arrives in April.

These are five opportunities to take advantage of before December 31 or risk waiting till next year.

If you are among the 72 percent of Americans who travel for leisure, you know that vacations can be expensive.

American Express says the average weeklong trip can cost around $970 per person for hotels, meals, transportation, entertainment and other expenses.

Even though you set a budget before setting off for another city, state or country, you sometimes spend more than you planned. Invariably, you can blow past your vacation means by buying items on impulse or pushing your credit cards to their limit.

So, what can you do to stick to your budget and still enjoy time with your family and friends? Here are some tips:

There are various ways to serve a nonprofit. You can volunteer your time – helping with projects, speaking to groups or working on administrative tasks. You also can support one through donations or other gifts – providing the financial resources they need to serve their cause.

When choosing an organization to join, though, you should carefully review its purpose and mission. After all, you are giving yourself to help make it successful.

So why become a member of a nonprofit group? Here are some reasons why.

Everyone reaches a point in their life when they ask who can they turn to for financial advice. When you’re a kid, it’s probably your Mom or Dad telling how much birthday money you can spend and how much you need to save. When you’re a teenager it’s still your Mom and Dad but you just ignore their advice and do what you want - which is spend it.

However, sooner or later, when you have some work experience under your belt, you gain an understanding of just how hard it is to save for today’s needs let alone for retirement. At that point, Mom and Dad may not be around or you recognize they are not the all-knowing experts you thought they were when you were a kid. So, where do you start and what do you ask?

With most things in life, the key to success is planning, and it's no different with parent teacher conferences. Teachers prepare, plan, and think about conferences for weeks leading up to the big day (or days).

The world of online educational resources is ever-changing and sites that were popular a few years earlier have disappeared. Some of the sites that have made this list are familiar to many, notably Khan Academy and Google Earth, but are there because of the breadth and depth of their content. Others like Share My Lessonand Diigomay be new to you but well worth a look and their modern interfaces are easy to navigate and search for the right topics. Enjoy and share.